The rapid evolution of electronic communication technology is causing interaction via electronic communication to become a staple of modern life. Not only are new communication devices constantly being released (e.g., such as smart phones, tablet computers, worn computing devices, etc.), but also the ability to interact electronically is now being integrated into a variety of existing applications that did not previously include such functionality. For example, wireless communication in vehicles such as automobiles is now being envisioned to help facilitate traffic management, accident avoidance, etc. At least one embodiment of a vehicular communication system has been standardized in IEEE 802.11p, which is an approved amendment to the IEEE 802 wireless standard describing wireless access in vehicular environments (WAVE). WAVE standardizes communications within an intelligent transportation system (ITS) that may include data exchanges between vehicles moving at high-speeds, between vehicles and a fixed control infrastructure including, for example, at least one wireless road-side unit (RSU), etc. Currently, the 5.9 GHz band (e.g., 5.85-5.925 GHz) is reserved to support all ITS wireless operation.
However, the implementation of an ITS is not without some challenges. In practice, cars may need to transmit messages constantly at many times per second in order to apprise other cars of location, to report status to the ITS management infrastructure, etc. This requirement may be magnified exponentially in dense metropolitan areas, on major thoroughfares, during rush hour, etc. As a result, the ITS as currently envisioned may not be able to handle this communication burden, especially with respect to exceptional situations such as accidents, weather emergencies, traffic tie-ups, etc. Moreover, any ITS system may not be foolproof. Accidents may still occur, and data for determining how an accident may have occurred and for use in preventing further incidents may not be readily available in a system handling millions of data transactions daily.
Although the following Detailed Description will proceed with reference being made to illustrative embodiments, many alternatives, modifications and variations thereof will be apparent to those skilled in the art.